Machine for cutting, lifting, and conveying peat sods



J. STEINERT May 7, 1940.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTING', AND CONVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21,i958 9 sheets-sheet 1 May 7, 1940 J. STEINERT 2,200,137

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, yLIFTING, AND CONVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21,193s 9 sheets-sheetv 2 Hr l. l I -I Il V I x p H -1- 'be Y q @www May 7,1940 J. sTElNxA-:RT 2,200,137

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTING, AND CQNVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21,19:58 9 sheets-sheet 54 A Hol/ne v May 7, 1940- J. sTElNERT A 2.200.137

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTINCT, `AND CONVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21,195s 9 sheets-Sheet 4 701 BY MM Mm Alfa/'ne y 9 Sheets-SheKet 5 o ww J.STEINERT Filed Nov. 21, 1938 May 7, 1940.

NAcHINE Fon CUTTING, LIETING, AND CONVEYING FEAT sons J. STEINERT May 7,1940.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTING, AND CONVEYING PEAT SODS Fild Nov. 21, 19389 sheets-sheet s J. STEINERT May 7, 1940.

' .LIFTNG, AND CONVEYING FEAT sons Filed Nov. 21, 193B MACHINE FORCUTTING sneets-sneet v May 7, 1940 t J. STEINERT 2,200,137

MACHINE FOR CUTTNG, LIFTING, AND CONVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21, 19389 Sheets-Sheet 8 lol I 0| 235 h"1932 lOl 5mm: 211ml J. STEINERT May 7,1940.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTING, AND CONVEYING FEAT SODS Filed Nov. 21,1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 i .mw

/0 venfo'f' m uw www A #orne y Patented May 7, 1940 s. UNITED `STATESMACHINE FOR CUTTING, LIFTING, AND v CONVEYING PEAT ZSODS l LJohannesSteinert, Hano Eduard Dyckerhoif, B Germany l ver, Germany, assignor toluemnau, near Wunstorf,

Application November 21, 1938, SerialvNo. 241,591l

` In Germany December,l 2, 1937 21 Claims.

'My invention relates to a machine for cutting, lifting and conveyingpeat sods, and more particularly to a machine provided atvits iront endwith a cutter system having horizontal and 5, vertical .knives adaptedto cut one horizontal and three' vertical sides of the peat sods.

In, the hitherto known machines of above described type the cuttingoperation is carried out on a more or less vertical straight line. If,after the cutting operation, the cut sods are conveyedl by raising thecutter device, then for ejecting the sods overa delivery device, theentire cutter system has to be swung rearwardly. After the ejectingoperation, the system must then be re- 15 turned to a position in whichthe nextcutting loperation is possible. Thisl sequence of movementsrequires an extremely complicated driv-y ing mechanism, quite apart fromthefact that the necessary working operations require time, wherebytheoutput of the machine'suft'ers.

One object of Amy inventionis to provide a machine of above describedtype, injwhich the cutting operation is carried out on a path of acontinuous curve one end of which lies above the conveyer device and thecenter of curvature of which is situated in the mass of peat below themachinaso that a special additional swinging movementof the cuttersystem for the ejection of the sods becomes unnecessary.

o Another object of my invention is to provide a machine, in which thecutter system on its downward 'movement is rst given mechanically anaccelerated movement, whereafter, upon reaching thetmaximum'speedobtainable by its drive, said cutter system is disconnected from saiddrive so that vthemovement of said cutter system is accelerated furtherby its own weight, and in which the magnitude of the acceleration isadjustable, so that the peat cut will always have a constant height. f A

Still y'another object of my invention is to provide amachinei in whichthe cutter system on its downward movement is accelerated by means ofvan additional force.

A-'fu'rther object of my invention is to provide o a'machiirie,l inIwhich the cut s ods may be automatically ejected from the cuttersystem.

fStill another object of my inventionv is to ,provide a machine, inwhich theejecting devicesfor o the ejection of the cut' sods areoperated vat constant height, so that the sods cannot be damagedby'excesslve height oi'fallfrorn the cutting system into the conveyer device.

device may' also be effected in dependence on the position of thehorizontal cutter of the cutter System f f A further object of myinvention is to provide a machine,4 in which the horizontal knife of the5 cutter systernis pivoted to the beam carrying the cutter system and,during the upward movement of the cutter system, the means actuating theejecting devices also serve to rotate the horizontal knifeinto aposition in which it becomes engaged with a locking device.

Stillanother object of my invention is to provide a machine, in whichduring the downward movementof the cutter system the horizontal cutteris automatically disengaged from the locking device holding same in anelevated position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine, in which thecutter system may be adjusted downwardly by the vdepth of a sod afterthe kfirst cutting operation.- Y

Still another obj ect of my invention is to provide a machine, in whichvthe upwardand downward movement ci the entire cutter driving systenimay, in accordance with the position of the layer of sods to be cut, beobviated.

A further object oi my inventionis to provid amachine of above describedtype, which is provided fwith .additional means for the removal ofthese-called 1ingground (waste) i. e. the top t layer of the bogovergrown with. grass and heather.` f

In yorder to carryout mylinvention into practice, I provide a machinefor cutting, lifting and conveying peatsods, comprising a cutter systemconsisting of horizontal and vertical knives adapted to cut yonehorizontal .and three vertical sides of the peatl sods, a movable beamcarrying saidcutter system at one end thereof,`a mechan ism connected tosaid beam for causing upward and downward movements of saidcutter'system, and' guiding means connected to an intermediate 40 pointof `said beam,` said guiding means being adapted to guide said cuttersystem during said upward and *downward movements in a'path of acontinuous curve one end of which lies above a conveyer device and thecenter of curvaturer of which is situated in the mass of'peat below themachine. In 'a preferred embodiment of my invention the machinecomprises a bell-crank lever actuating4 the beam carrying the cuttersystem, ,50

device and said crank-mechanism, said crankmechanism being adapted toimpart an accelerated movement to said cutter system during the firstpart of its downward movement, said freewheel-mechanism being adapted torelease said crank-mechanism from said driving device when said cuttingsystem has reached the maximum speed obtainable by said crank-mechanism,

whereby the movement of the cutter system isl accelerated further by itsown weight, anda regulating brake operatively associated with thecrank-mechanism for the adjustment of the magnitude of the acceleration.v

The above mentioned objects and advantages as well as other objects andadvantages will be more fully described in the following specificationreference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure 1 shows a construction of the machine according to the inventionin longitudinal section, the individual parts being shown in the cuttingposition,

Figure 2 is a plan of the machin-e according to Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows the device for moving the ejectors and for lifting thehorizontal cutter,

Figure 4 is a part front elevation of the ejectors,

Figure 5 is a side view thereof,

Figure 6 is a side view of a modified construction,

Figure '7 is a plan of the machine according to Figure 6,

Figures 8 and 9 are side views of a modified Y ejecting device andillustrate their operation,

Figures 10 and 11 show in side view a further construction of theejecting device together with the milling roller provided according tothe invention,

Figure 12 is a side view of a further construction of the machine,

Figure 13 is a plan of Figure 12, and

Figure 14 shows on a larger scale the mechanism whereby the crank shaftcan be raised and lowered.

In the construction according to Figures 1-5, bearings I2, I2', in whichcoupling rods I 'I, I1' are swingably arranged, are mounted on the rearend of a caterpillar carriage l5. -Arranged on the rear part of thecoupling rods I 1, I1 is a crank shaft I3 with the cranks I, I which isadapted to be rotated by a driving engine A by way of the lay shaft B,the gear wheel D disengaged by means of the clutch C and the gear lwheelI 4. By means of the crank rods 2, 2 the cranks I, I swing thebell-crank levers 3, 3 connected at II). IU to the coupling rods I 1,I'I' by means of a rocking shaft, and connected to said bell-cranklevers at 5, 5 are the cutter beams 1, 'I' to which an up and downmovement is thereby imparted. The cutter beams 1,1 which arel preferablybent inwardly at an obtuse angle, are pivoted at 1a, 1b to links 6, 6'which are adapted to turn on pivots 9, 9 arranged on the coupling rodsI6, I6. The coupling rods IS, I6' are connected by the links I8, I8' tothe coupling rods Il, II and are adapted to rotate on the caterpillarcarriage at II, II By means of such an arrangement the cutter system is-moved in a curved path 29 and during its upward movement is lifted intoa position above the conveyor device 30. The center C of the curved path29 is situated in the mass of peat below the machine.

The entire lever system maybe swung downwardly by means of toothedsegments I9, I9',

mounted on the coupling rods I6, I6', and corresponding pinions 20, 2U.The speed of rotation of said pinions is related to the speed of thecranks I, I', so that each crank rotation causing an upward and downwardmovement of the cutter system corresponds to a lowering. of the cuttersystem by the thicknessof one sod,

After cutting o-ut the lowermost strip of peat the crankV shaft with thecutter system is uncoupled and the entire link beam system is raised,the caterpillar carriage being simultaneously moved back in known mannerby the width of one sod by means of a draw bar. The raising of thesystem may be effected for example by means of chains ZI, 2l', runningover suitably provided sprocket wheels mounted on theshaft IIa, thechains 2I, 2| being provided with dogs 22, 22', pinions provided withfree wheel action rotating backwardly. The vertical cutter 34 isprovided with vertical cross-cutters 35 corref l3) and having noses 24,said system beingr ad,-

justed according to the depth of cut by means of the coupling rods I6,I6 by way of the link system 26, 21 mounted at 26a on the caterpillarcarriage, in order to eject the peat sods always above the conveyor band30.

During the ascent of the cutter beam, the noses 24 press against thecurved pressing, surface 8a of the horizontal cutter 8, so that thelatter engages the pawl 28. During the descent, the pawl 28 is releasedfrom the locking position adjusted by means of the spring 28a by a cable32 secured to the link 6. As the angle a increases during the descent ofthe vertical cutter, the moment of release can be determined byselecting the length of the cable 32.

As with a constant uniform drive, the rate of cutting diminishes towardsthe dead centre of the crank I, and as this is rather harmful in thecase of a bog containing much fibre, the

movement of the cutter system may, after having attained the maximumspeed obtainable by the crank drive, be accelerated still further b-ythe arrangement of a freewheel-mechanism I4a between the gear wheel I4and the shaft I3 connected with the crank-drives, so that during thelast part of the cutting movement the freewheelmechanism Illa releasesthe crank-devices from the driving wheel gear I 4 and the cutter sys-vtem is accelerated further by its own weight.l

If in the case of `certain bogs this powerful blow caused by the freefall of the cutter system is to be avoided, the optimum force of blowcan be adjusted in each case by means of a regulatable brake device I3aacting on the shaft I3 connected to the crank devices. In its deadcenter positionv the crank always represents the limit vfor the blow ofthe vertical cutter. By rotating this crank beyond the dead center, thevertical cutter is raised without any jerking.

The machine may be driven for example by a steam engine, an electricmotor or an internal l combustion engine.

In the construction according to Figures 6 to 9, the upward and downwardmovement of the entire cutter driving system may, in accordance with theposition of the layer of sods' to bev cut, be obviated byvaryingrelatively to the vertical the position of the rocking angleA of thebellf` crank lever turning' about a stationary axis. In

.A the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 9, a frame |02 is mounted on thecaterpillar carriage IIII and bell-crank levers |04, |04 are pivoted tosaid frame at |03, |03. Pivoted to the bell-crank levers at |05, v|05'are the cutter beams |06, |06',

, which are guided by the links |08, |08 pivoted 'to the frame |02 vat|01, |01.

Laid over the arcuatemembers IIO, I I0', extending from the bell-cranklever |04 and supported by rods |09,

II3', II4' respectively. The rollers 'I I4, II4' have a recess a, theeffect of which is that during each revolution of the ro1lers, the beltis for a certain time not gripped by the rollers. The pairs of rollersare rotated in opposite directions by the motor II5 through the beltpulley I6, a diseng'agcable clutch 'I I1 and the worms ||8 and IISrespectively.

When the circular arcuate members I I0, I'I0' are in the dotted lineposition, the springs |20, are tensioned. If the pairsgof rollers II3,I|4 and I`I3, II4 no longer grip'the belts" ||2, II2, the springs impartto the arcuate members IIO, '|I0, the `bell-crank levers |04, |04 andhence the nowdescending cutter system an acceleration depending upon thedegree of tensioning of the springs. `A'I'hisspring tensionl may bevaried by means of the adjustingscrews |2I,

After the cutting operation which just occupies the time during whichthebelts ||2, II2' are not gripped bythe pairs of rollers II3, I I4 'andII3V, I I4', the cutter system is lifted andv carried above the conveyordevice |22 (Figure 6) or |43 (Figures 8 and 9), above which the ejectionof the cut peatsods proceeds.

The worms ||8 and I9 areconstructed to be self-locking onthedisengagement of the clutch I I1, so that the driver rollers hold thebelts un'til the clutch hasbeen re-engaged. Y y' Y The ejectingdeviceaccording to a further feature of the present invention is .constructedso that the sods arealways ejected at the same height above theconveyorv band, the ejecting movement' being produced vsolely by theymovement o'f the cutter system.l y, y 'A Connected to the verticalVcutter |24'are crosscutters |25 corresponding to the length of the sod.'Each of the chambers thus formed accom,- modates an ejecting device |23,the shank |26 of which is guided by suitable guide plates |21, I 28.Between one guide plate |28v andan abutment |20 provided on the shank|26 of the ejecting device' is a spring I30,"which'-tends"to force theejecting device out of the chamber.

By the impact of the cuttersystem on the surface of the peat, theejecting device is forced up wardly and is held in the upper position bymeans ofthe lever I3 engaging a corresponding recess |26a in the shankof the ejecting device.

The ejectors Amay alsov be drawn,l upwardly by means of a cable(indicated iny dotted lines at |58), which is secured to the ejectorsandl is operated by the lever |56 pivotedwat |51 tothe cutter Steele thelever.v

hooks the horizontal .cutter in thepawl |31 by, means of'the hook |36.During the downward movement, the lever. |35 is held in the horizontalposition by the 4brackets |35a. The pawl |31 is pivoted at |39 to theframe |38 secured to the cutter beam |06 and is drawn towards the cutterbeam bythe spring |40. During the downwardmovement the pawl isdisengaged from the horizontal cutter at a suitable position by means ofthe cable or chain I 4I, so that the Lhorizontal cutter descends by itsown weight.

InA the movement of the horizontal cutter |32 to its raised position,the lever |3| is rotated by means of the pawl |42 pivotedto thehorizontal cutter so that the shanks of the ejecting devicesare'released and the ejectors |23 forced downwardly by the springs |30eject the peat sods on to the endless conveyor band |43, which ismountedin a suitable frame '-3I44, |45 of the caterpillar carriage. f

In the construction of the ejecting device according to Figures 10 and11, the ejectors |26 are heldinthe raised position by springs |30 duringthe cutting operation? f During the upward movement of the cuttersystem, the horizontal cutter |32 is lifted by the push rod |35, thepush rod pressing into the corner of the `vbox-shaped at-` tachment 60of the horizontal cutter |32. The attachment 60 has at 62 an arcuateslot in "which apin 63 is adapted to slide. otally connected to theejector |26 by the rod 6|. As can be seen from'V Figure 11, upon theraisingy of the horizontal cutter l62, the ejector I 26 is forceddownwardly by the pin '63 Vabutting against the upper edge of the 'slot62, so that theipeat sods fall on to the conveyor band-230.v This con.-ve'yorband 230 is moved by'a'bevel wheel gear driven from the motor ofthe machine.

` Experience has shown that it isjextremely dinicult and often quiteimpossible with the known box-shaped cutters, to convey the v'so-'calledling ground with its Vgrass and' heather tothe conveyer band andfurthermore, the ling ground (waste) should not be forwarded to thedrying' field where the peat sods are to be dried, but the waste shouldbe returned into the pit from which theA peat has been out. -It is alsovdesirable not to throw the waste into the pit in largepieces but The pin63 is piv- Cil in a fine uniform dispersion sothat the surface' of thebog for .the second peat cutting will be as even as possible.v 'For thispurpose I provide the cuttingroller` 23|, which is secured tov themachinek frame 'by suitable bearing brackets, is

as long as the vertical cutter and is set in rapid rotation. As soon asthe caterpillar carriage has been moved back bythe vwidth of `one sod,the

roller cuts'the ling or waste, as shownin Figure 11, and flings it intothe cut pit.4 The cutting roller is vertically adjustable, so that itcan remove more or less of the waste ground according to the naturefofthe surface of the bog. By means of guide plates not shown it is alsopossible to ensure that the ground removed will be conveyed withcertainty into the pit;

' In the construction shown in Figures l2 to 14, the motor 200 drives byway of the belt 220 the continuously rotating shaft 2| I. Rigidly keyed'to this shaft is the sprocket wheel 22|` which by means of the chainy233 and the gear shaft 232 drives the conveyor band 230 by way ofabevel v wheel gear, andthe cutting roller 23| by way of a further chainwith corresponding. sprocket wheels. Loosely mounted on the shaft 2 I Iis, furthermore, thepinion 222 vwhichffis connected tothe crank shaft 200,115! I the. gear, wheels. 2 2 3,A .2124, 2,35.. and

is adapted to be coupled to the shaft by the clutch 226.

During the cutting operation (see Figure 14), the clutch on the shaft205 is engaged, whereby the chain drive 202 and hence the shaft 203carrying the pinions are rotated. The latter engage the toothed segments204, which rotate on the shaft 205, 206 and in their center` carry thebearings .207 of the crank shaft 208.

Engaging the shaft 203 carrying the pinions is a second chain drive 209leading tothe clutch 2|0. This clutch is likewise mounted on the shaft2| I, which rotates in a direction opposite to that of the shaft 205.

Thus, by engaging the clutch 20|, it is possible to move the crank shaftupwardly and parallel to itself about the shafts 205, 206, and byengaging the clutch 2|0 to move it downwardly again.

The operating levers, not shown, of the clutches 226, 20| and 2|0 areconnected together so that the clutches 226 and 20| can only be engagedand disengaged simultaneously while clutch 2|0 is actuated conversely.

The pinion 222 is rigidly connected to one side of the laminated brake221 and a ratchet wheel 228, While the other side of the laminated brake22'|-is connected to the machine frame.

When the laminated brake 227 is released, thc

y cutter system can descend freely, driving with it the crank shaft 208and the gear wheels 225, 224, 223, 222 and lifting the ratchet pawl 229.By partly engaging the laminated brake, the free descent can be brakedand by full braking, the crank and the vertical cutter can be held inany desired position.

'I'he two hand wheels 234, on which are mounted threaded spindles, serveto rotate the levers 235, carrying the milling roller 23|, about thespindles 232, 232 and thereby to raise or lower the milling roller.

By rotating the crank shaft parallel to itself about the shafts 205,206, the swinging angle of the bell-crank lever is given a differentposition relatively to the vertical, so that therefore, the further' thecrank shaft is raised, the lower the cutter system is presseddownwardly, and thereby rows of sods situated one below the other can becut successively from the wall of peat. When a wall of peat has beenremoved, the entire machine is moved back by the width of one sod, thecrank shaft being moved simultaneously into its lowest position,whereupon the cutting operation may recommence.

I claim:

1. A machine for cutting, lifting and conveying peat sods, comprising acutter system consisting of horizontal and vertical knives adapted tocut one horizontal and three vertical sides of the peat sods, a movablebeam carrying said cutter system at one end thereof, a mechanismconnected to said beam for causing upwar'd and downward movements ofsaid cutter system, and guiding means connected to an intermediate pointof said beam, said guiding means being adapted to guide said cuttersystem during said upward andy downward movements in a path of acontinuous curve one end of which lies above a conveyor device and thecenter of curvature of which is situated in the mass of peat below themachine.

2. A machine as set forth in claim l, in which the beam carrying saidcutter system is connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever pivotedabout a horizontal axis and guided by a link adapted to pivot about asecond horizontal axis.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said cutter system isacuated by a bell-crank lever, one arm o-f which is connected to thebeam carrying said cutter system and a second arm of said bell-cranklever is connected by way of a rod to a crank.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the beam `carrying saidcutter system is acuated by a bell-crank lever, one arm of which isconnected tothe beam, a crank-mechanism, a second arm of said bell-cranklever being connected to said crank-mechanism, a driving device, a

freewheel-mechanism being arranged between said driving `device and saidcrank-mechanism,

said crank-mechanism being adapted to impartv said cutter systemisactuated by a pivoted bell- ,y

crank lever and guided'by a pivoted link, the pivot points of saidbell-crank lever' and said link being connected together by a rod andmounted on coupling rods adapted lto be swung about different stationarypoints for ythe ypurpose of obtaining diiferent depths of cuts.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said cutter system isactuated by a pivoted bellcr-ank lever and guided by a pivoted link, thepivots of said bell-crank lever and said link being connected togetherby a rod and raised by a driving device after the maximumdepths of cutis.

attained and after which the machine is moved toH the rear by the widthof one sod, the crankbeing disengaged at that time. i]

'7. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which the beam carrying saidcutter system is connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever pivotedabout astationary horizontal axis and guided by a link adapted topivotabout a second stationary horizontal axis, the position of therocking angle formed between said bell-crank lever and thevertical'plane being altered for obtaining different depths of cut.

8. A machine as set forth in claim l, in which a bell-crank leverpivotally mounted upon a stationary horizontal axis is used to actuatesaid cutter system and to which a tension element is secured whichperiodically is driven by a drivl 10. A. machine as set forth in claim1,`in which the beam carrying said cutter 4system is connected to onelarm of a'bell-crank lever pivoted about a stationary horizontal axis andguided by a ylink adapted to pivot about a second stationary horizontalaxis, and in which the position of a crank shaft ractuating means formoving said cutter system may parallelly be adjusted to the stationaryaxis of said bell-crank lever forming part of said means for moving saidcutterl system. y

1l. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which the beam carrying saidcutter system is icon,- nected to one arm of a bell-crank lever pivotedabout ya stationary horizontal axis and Aguided by a link adapted topivot about a second stationary horizontal axis, and in which theposition of va crank shaft actuating means for moving said cutter systemmay parallelly be adjusted to the axis of said bell-crank lever formingpart of said means for moving said'cutter system, said crank shaft beingrockable about a stationary axis on a carriage carrying the wholearrangement.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which an adjustable spring istensioned during the upward movement of said cutter system and impartsan acceleration to the latter during the downward movement.

13. A machine for cutting, lifting and conveying peat sods, comprising acutter system consisting of horizontal and vertical knives adapted tocut one horizontal and three vertical sides of the peat sods, a movablebeam carrying said cutter system at one end thereof, a. mechanismconnected to said beam for causing upward and downward movements of saidcutter system,

ejecting devices mounted on said cutter system, and guiding meansconnected to an intermediate point of said beam, said guiding meansbeing adapted to guide said cutter system during said upward anddownward movements in a path of a continuous curve one end of which liesabove a delivery device and the center of curvaturel of which issituated in the mass of peat below the machine.

14. A machine as set forth in claim 13, in which said ejecting devicesare operated by stops movably mounted on said machine.

15. A machine as set forth in claim 13, in which said ejecting devicesare operated by stops movably mounted on said machine, and a hori'zontal knife pivoted to the beam carrying the vertical knives is liftedand locked during upward movementof said vertical knives bymeans of saidstop devices acting upon a curved pressure surface operativelyassociated with the hori- Y said beam for locking said horizontal knifein an elevated position, and a push rod pivotally mounted on the frameof the machine, said pushrod being adapted to act upon said curvedpressure surface during the upward movement of the cutter' systemwhereby said horizontal knife is rotated into said elevated position forengagement with said locking means, and a portion of said push. rodforming stops adapted to actuate said ejecting devices.

1'7. A machine as set forth in claim 13, in which said ejecting devicesare operated by adjustable stops and said stops are moved by a leverandlink-system pivoted about a stationary point and pivotally connected toa coupling rod, said stops being adjusted in dependence on the movementof said coupling rod.l

i8. A machine as claimed in claim l, the horizontal knife of said cuttersystem being pivotally connected to said beam, the vertical knives 'ofsaid cutter system being rigidly connected to said beam, spring actuatedlocking means mounted on said beam for locking said horizontal knife inan elevated position, a guiding link one end of which is pivotallymounted on the frame of the machine the other end of which is pivotedtol an intermediate point of said beam, land a chain connecting saidlguiding line with said locking means, said chain being adapted to causea disengagement of said horizontal knife from said locking means when apredetermined angle between said beam and said guiding link is obtained.

19. A machine as set forth in claim 13 fin which said ejectors rareacted upon by spring pressure, held in their uppermost position by adouble-armed lever and released above a conveyor means by a dog pivotedupon said lever and connected to said cutting device.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 13, in which during lifting `of thehorizontal cutter said ejecting devices are pressed downwardly by way ofa link and a pin sliding in a curved slot provided in. an attachmentconnected to said horizontal cutter.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 1, the vertical knives of said cuttersystem comprising a longitudinal knife and a plurality of transverseknives, said longitudinal knife being arranged parallel to the frontendof the frame of the machine, a cutting roller, said cutting roller beingarranged parallel to said longitudinal knife, A

and means for rotating said cutting roller.

JOHANNES STEINERT.

